Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

It's been crazy hot here so you're probably thinking I'm crazy for blogging about gumbo, much less cooking it.  Well, it was my baby boy's first day of school and I wanted to make his favorite food on the planet to celebrate.  By the way, my baby boy is almost 16.  It was his first day of his junior year of high school.  Doesn't matter how old they get, they're still your babies, aren't they?

Anyway, his absolute favorite food is Gumbo.  So, even though it was 100 degrees outside, I cranked the AC up and made gumbo.  Here's a step by step guide so you can make it, too (you may want to wait till it cools off a bit).

CHICKEN & ANDOUILLE GUMBO

2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
1/2 lb andouille sausage (if you can't find it, you can use any smoked sausage)
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning (or your fav Cajun Seasoning)
salt/pepper
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth


First, you make a roux.  That's the most difficult (well, not really difficult, just time-consuming) part of a gumbo.  A roux is just a mixture of fat and flour.  It can be light (as in a white sauce) or it can be dark, which is what you need for a gumbo.  In a big pot, whisk together oil and flour until no lumps are visible.  Then, cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY.  Seriously, do not stop stirring, even for a minute, or you will burn your roux!  And a burnt roux is good for nothing.  You might as well throw it away and start over.  So, don't stop stirring.  I find that a wooden spoon works best.

It will start out very light, like this:

Then, after a while it will turn dark, like this:

This will take some time.  I can't tell you exactly how long because it depends on the pot you use and how hot your burner is.  But it should take around 20-30 minutes.  Like I said, this is time-consuming, but so worth it.  This is where the distinctive gumbo flavor comes from.  Just enjoy a glass of wine while you're stirring and it won't be so bad!

Once your roux is ready, add your chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, green onions and garlic.  Be careful because it will spatter.

Stir and let cook for just a few minutes.

Season the cubed chicken with Tony's (Cajun seasoning), then add to the pot.

Stir and let cook for a few minutes more.

Next, add the andouille (which is just a spicy smoked sausage).

Stir and let cook another couple of minutes.

Finally, add the chicken broth and water and season to your own taste with salt, pepper and Tony's.

Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.  Let simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until reduced and thickened, stirring it every once and a while.

Serve over rice.

This is my son's favorite food for a reason.  It is thick, rich and very flavorful!  It's got just the right amount of spice.  Delicious!  It's obviously not something you would make when you're short on time, but it is well worth the effort when you do.  Ca cest bon!

Chicken and Sausage Etouffe

My Pickiest Eater Ever Son loves gumbo.  He could eat gumbo every single day, breakfast, lunch and dinner.  But, making gumbo is not so easy.  In fact, if you do it the old fashioned way, it can be quite a chore.  So, to satisfy his gumbo cravings, I make chicken and sausage etouffe (pronounced eh-too-fay).  It has a lot of the same flavors but you don't have to make a roux so it's not so labor intensive.  My son gives it a thumbs up and says it's almost as good as gumbo but not quite as rich.  I love that he's developing a discerning palette.  Now, if I could only get him to eat his vegetables.

CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE ETOUFFE

1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cubed
2 TBS oil
Tony Chacherre's Creole Seasoning (any Cajun Seasoning will work)
Salt
Pepper
1 (10oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes with chilis (if you don't like the spice, use regular tomatoes)
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 stick butter (or margarine, but butter tastes better)
2 cups water

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add sausage.  Brown well on both sides.  You want it to stick.  That stuff stuck to the bottom of the pot is flavor!

Remove sausage and set aside.  Add the oil.  Season the cubed chicken with Creole seasoning.  Add to the pot and brown on both sides.

Remove chicken and set aside.  Add the butter to the pot and let melt.  Add onion, celery, bell pepper, green onions and garlic.  Saute 5 - 10 minutes, until cooked down a bit.

Add the Rotel.  I have to zip the Rotel in a blender first because my picky eaters don't like chunks of tomatoes.  But you don't have to do that if you're feeding normal people.  Scrape the bottom of the pot to get up the stuck bits.

Season to taste with Creole seasoning, salt and pepper.  Return the sausage and chicken to the pot.

Add the water.

Bring it to a boil.  Then lower the heat and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes until it has reduced and thickened slightly.

Serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

Like I said earlier, this hits the same flavor notes as a gumbo but is much easier to cook.  It makes my Pickiest Eater Ever Son happy so it's alright by me.  (Plus, he is unwittingly eating onion, celery, bell pepper, etc).  I call that a win!